Close the Gap

September 25, 2015 by annie

“Women are one half of the world’s population, they deserve equal access to health, education, earning potential, and political empowerment. Ultimately, gender equality is a vital part of humanity’s progress.”

It is hard to overstate the terrifying impact that extremist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram have had using rape as a weapon of war. These groups claim that they have a God-given right to rape and abuse women because they are not Sunni Muslims.

These stories are sickening, but what is perhaps more appalling is the disenfranchisement of women in even the most developed Middle Eastern countries.

The question remains, why do their governments and religious leaders rob women of their human rights?

Is their religion incompatible with equality between the sexes? If so, how can secular nations push for women’s rights while respecting cultural differences?